Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has once again publicly acknowledged that Indian missiles, including the BrahMos, struck multiple locations within Pakistan, including the Rawalpindi airport. Sharif made these remarks at a trilateral summit in Lachin, Azerbaijan, recounting the events following heightened tensions between the two nations after Operation Sindoor.
Sharif stated that Pakistan had planned a response to what it perceived as Indian aggression. "On the night of May 9-10, we decided to respond in a measured fashion to Indian aggression," Sharif said, adding that the Pakistani armed forces, under the leadership of Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, were prepared to act at 4:30 AM after Fajr prayers. However, according to Sharif, before that hour arrived, India launched missile attacks, including BrahMos missiles, hitting various provinces in Pakistan, including the airport in Rawalpindi and other locations.
This is not the first time Sharif has acknowledged the damage caused by Operation Sindoor. Earlier, he confirmed that Indian missiles struck the Nur Khan Airbase in Rawalpindi and other targets. He recounted a 2:30 AM phone call from General Syed Asim Munir, informing him of the Indian missile attacks.
Operation Sindoor was launched by India in response to a terror attack in Pahalgam. India claimed that the operation targeted terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), resulting in the killing of over 100 militants and the destruction of nine terror launchpads. Following these strikes, India claimed that Pakistan attempted a limited counter-strike, which prompted India to respond by destroying 11 Pakistani airbases.
The situation de-escalated after a meeting between the Directors General of Military Operations of both countries on May 10, where they agreed to halt military actions. However, the recent events have brought the effectiveness and reach of India's missile capabilities into focus.
Following the military exchange, Sharif has repeatedly called for dialogue with India, including discussions on peace, terrorism, water, and Kashmir. He expressed a desire to resolve all disputes through negotiations, including the Kashmir issue, in accordance with UN resolutions. However, India has rejected these overtures, insisting that talks can only occur if Pakistan ceases cross-border terrorism and vacates PoK.
India's Ministry of External Affairs has reiterated that terrorism and talks cannot go hand in hand. They emphasized that discussions on terrorism must begin with Pakistan handing over terrorists from the list provided by India years ago, and any bilateral talks would only address the timeline and process for Pakistan to vacate PoK.
The use of BrahMos missiles in the strikes is particularly noteworthy. The BrahMos is a supersonic cruise missile developed jointly by India and Russia, capable of Mach 3 and a range of 300 to 500 km. It can carry both conventional and nuclear warheads and be launched from land, air, or sea.
Amidst the tensions, India's internal security minister, Amit Shah, confirmed that India used its homegrown BrahMos missile against Pakistan during the recent military escalation. The incident has sparked debate and raised questions about Pakistan's air defenses and the precision of India's BrahMos missiles.
In March 2022, an incident occurred where a BrahMos missile was accidentally fired from India and landed in Pakistan. India attributed this to a technical malfunction and sacked three air force officials. However, Pakistan rejected this explanation and called for a joint investigation.
